House Republicans will lead Indiana to a better future

July 27, 2006|BRIAN C. BOSMA

It has been a remarkable few weeks in Indiana history. While Democratic leaders continue to criticize and demagogue, Indiana's economy is racing forward. When Republicans took the helm of state government in 2005, we faced the largest job loss record of any state in the nation and inherited a fiscal mess. Indiana clearly had to turn in a new direction. With the addition of 80,000 new jobs since January 2005, and the weekly announcement of new plants and job expansion throughout the state, it is clear the Republican job growth plan is working. Indiana's comeback is under way. While the recent Honda announcement commanded national headlines, Rolls Royce, Nestle, American Commercial Lines, Arbonne International, Toyota, Pfizer, Sallie Mae, Sysco and other national and international companies have each announced the location of hundreds (in some cases thousands) of new jobs here in the Hoosier state. As I travel the state, employers from Mittal Steel and BP Amoco in the region to the Schneider Corporation in my home of Lawrence are seeking high-skill employees for the high wage jobs of Indiana's new economy. After adopting the first honestly balanced budget in a decade, with no tax increases or accounting gimmicks, and ensuring a reduction in the average homeowner's property tax bill for the first time in 30 years, the state can now repay its debts and refocus on investments in critical areas. As Democratic leader Pat Bauer and other Democratic party officials stick to their flawed strategy of falsely criticizing with no plan or vision of their own, I will encourage my House Republican colleagues to stick to the truth and rely on the results being seen throughout Indiana to determine the course of our state's future. I believe that Hoosiers will make their decisions on who will lead the state after the next election based on progress, not political spin. It was tough to balance the budget without a tax increase but we had to do it. Our state's fiscal future depended on it. That fiscal responsibility paid off as we now have a budget surplus of $371 million and are able to repay the remaining $160 million debt owed to schools because of past accounting gimmickry. The adjustment to daylight-saving time affects all of us, but as Federal Express stated in its announcement of its 800 new jobs, without it, it would not have located these critical high-wage jobs in central Indiana. Steel Dynamics in Fort Wayne said the same. Major Moves is a major target for those willing to make outrageous statements and openly insult the hundreds of foreign companies employing nearly 45,000 Hoosiers today. But as we create 130,000 new construction jobs throughout the state and eliminate our $2.8 billion road funding deficit, every Hoosier benefits. With a balanced budget and rejuvenated economy, we can now turn our attention toward investing in early education and providing affordable health care for every Hoosier. House Republicans will continue our focus on reform as well. In a series of announcements billed as "Pledges for Indiana's Progress," we have already committed to permanently reform a controversial legislative health care program. We have also pledged to end partisan gerrymandering by elected officials and to again adopt an honestly balanced budget in 2007 without tax increases, fund transfers or gimmicks. Much more is on the way. Over the coming months we will listen to Hoosiers for their input and we will continue to articulate a clear vision for the future with a series of announcements pleading reform in areas that will touch virtually every Hoosier. Our vision will include good jobs, a strong economy, fiscal integrity, improved education, streamlined government and protection of the most vulnerable. While some leaders will continue to rely solely on partisan detraction, those of us who desire to lead our state to a brighter future will rise above and lead on. Brian C. Bosma is speaker of the Indiana House.